Tag: Memphis & Shelby County Airport Authority

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Pace Cooper Named Chair of Airport Board

Pace Cooper

Hotel management executive Pace Cooper will succeed Jack Sammons as chairman of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority.

Cooper, president and CEO of Cooper Hotels, won the seat over fellow board member J.W. Gibson by a vote of five to one.

Sammons lefts the board in April to assume a position as city chief administrative officer under Mayor A C Wharton.

Cooper is a third-generation leader in his family’s’ hotel company. He’s a graduate of Columbia College in New York City and holds an master’s in business administration from Harvard Business School. Cooper Hotels manages 21 hotels in seven states, including the DoubleTree by Hilton on Sanderlin in Memphis.

“I am humbled to be elected chairman and I care deeply about this airport. I appreciate all the support and encouragement I’ve received from community leaders, fellow board members and airport staff,” said Cooper in a media release. “We will work hard every day on growing our air service in small steps, but if we achieve enough baby steps, the result will be a monumental leap forward. We have a great leadership team and I’m confident that goods days are ahead for the Memphis Airport.”

Jim Keras, president of Jim Keras Automotive Group in Memphis, will succeed Cooper as vice chairman, and Pamela Z. Cleary, executive vice president and partner for Community Capital LLC, will serve as secretary.

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Tony Allen Named Memphis Airport Spokesmodel; Sammons Says Goodbye

Tony Allen

Memphis Grizzlies fans are about to be inundated with advertising for Memphis International Airport, thanks to a $176,000 three-year advertising deal approved by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority at their board meeting Thursday morning.

Memphis Grizzly Tony Allen will be the airport’s new spokesmodel, and he’ll be shooting some advertising materials soon. Airport ads will be placed all around FedExForum, and the airport authority will table in the lobby at home games. The authority will hold giveaways in which fans can win tickets and free airfare to away games. Memphis International Airport will even get a mention on a Grizzlies growl towel.

“We want to have all that grit and grind come to the airport as we grind our way into the future,” said Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority President Scott Brockman.

Board member J.W. Gibson was the only dissenting vote on the board. He said he didn’t disapprove of the partnership but that he wanted a clearer picture of what exactly the $176,000 price tag would include.

Out-going board chair Jack Sammons argued that the marketing deal was important to restore faith in the airport after years of high fares and diminished service. He said the airport’s reputation was improving though, and he thought this deal could help.

“In the past few years, I’ve given more speeches about this airport than Billy Graham has about his Lord and Savior,” Sammons said.

Speaking of Sammons, this was his last meeting as chair of the airport authority. In May, he’ll be starting his new position as chief administrative officer for the city of Memphis. As the meeting wrapped up, Sammons shared a few last words.

“It’s no secret that I’m passionate about this job. It was a difficult decision for me to decide where my energy could best be used,” Sammons said. “But you’re not completely getting rid of me. I won’t be sitting around the table, but I will be a supportive utensil for you folks. The mayor has appointed me as a special envoy to the airport authority.”

Sammons thanked his fellow board members and gave a special shout-out to Brockman.

“When you’re going to an airport meeting with Scott, it’s like going to Vegas with Frank Sinatra. He is cherished by the industry and highly respected,” Sammons said. 

Sammons ended the meeting with these words: “I salute you all, and as General McArthur said, ‘Like that old soldier, it never dies. It’ll just fade away.’ So perhaps I’ll just fade away.”

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Memphis Airport Authority Names New Vice President of Operations

Terry Blue

Terry Blue has been named vice-president of operations for the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (MSCAA). He replaces former vice-president John Greaud, who retired from MSCAA after 25 years in January 2015. Blue will start on April 27th.

Blue most recently served as the deputy airport director for General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a position he maintained since 2008. Blue was one of 49 candidates for the MSCAA position.

Blue has 18 years of experience in the airport industry. Before holding his last position in Wisconsin, he worked as an aviation operations manager at the Denver International Airport. Blue is also a licensed private pilot.

“We are excited to add Terry Blue to the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority team,” said Scott Brockman, MSCAA President and CEO. “During this process we interviewed a number of internal external candidates, each of whom brought a unique combination of experience and qualifications. In the end, Terry’s breadth of leadership skills and industry experience made him the best candidate for this position.”

Blue’s hire comes at a time of shake-up for the airport authority. Earlier this week, MSCAA Board President Jack Sammons announced plans to leave the airport authority to work as the city’s chief administration officer, but that will depend on whether or not the Memphis City Council approves the hire later this month.

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Construction Is Underway For Airport Modernization

Demolition of the south end of Concourse A at Memphis International Airport is underway. The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority’s (MSCAA) modernization plan involves removing the south ends of the A and C concourses to allow planes to better access to all the gates on Concourse B. All airline operations are being consolidated into the B concourse. 

This image shows the airport as it looks now with the southern ends of the A and C concourses blocking two-way traffic.

With the airport’s current design, planes only have one-way access to and from the courtyard areas of the B concourse because the south ends of the A and C concourses are in the way. This wasn’t a problem when Delta Airlines had their hub at the airport because they could better coordinate when their own planes were coming or going. Now with multiple airlines taking up more space at Memphis International Airport, it’s harder to coordinate entry and exit traffic. Demolishing the south ends of the A and C concourses will create a larger taxiway, allowing planes to come and go at the same time.

The rest of the A and C concourses will be left intact, and only the southern ends are being removed. The MSCAA will retain 20 gates for future expansion.

The current phase of construction on Concourse A should be completed by early December 2015. While construction is ongoing, gates 1, 3, 5, 7, and 27 to 41 on the west side of the B concourse will be closed. Demolition to remove Concourse C’s southern end should begin in late summer 2015. By late 2015, all airlines and concessions are expected to be operating in the B concourse. 

The $114 million concourse modernization plan, which will take between and five and seven years to complete, also includes the addition of moving walkways, expansion of boarding areas and added passenger seating, raised ceilings, and increased natural lighting. 

This image demonstrates how removing the south ends of the A and C concourses will free up taxiway space for incoming and outgoing planes.

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Larry Cox Will Step Down From Airport Authority In January

Credit: Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority

Larry Cox

  • Larry Cox

Larry Cox, president and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, announced that he will leave his post on January 2nd.

Cox had previously announced that he’d retire in July of next year, and he will remain in an advisory position until then. But Cox, who has worked for the airport authority for 41 years, is stepping down a little earlier than originally planned. Scott Brockman, the airport authority’s chief operating officer, will take over Cox’s role as president after Cox steps down. In August, the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority confirmed Brockman to succeed Cox.

“This is the logical culmination of years of succession planning. My departure will allow for a smooth transition for Scott Brockman into the CEO role, and will ensure that the airport authority continues to move forward in the most efficient and effective manner possible,” Cox said.